Post-Op

Did you know that every muscle in your body will try to stabilize you when you are riding in a car? Not a big deal when you feel fine. Although when a body is sore....this is a difficult task. The Plastic surgeon was called into surgery so he was not able to see me. So the Surgeon checked everything, and removed my drains. She is very easy to communicate with. They pulled, ripped, yanked the clear duct tape off off my skin. Then they asked if I wanted two smaller pains or 1 large one. I chose the 1 larger pain. The surgeon and the intern on either side of me, with Neal by my head squeezing my hand, pulled the drains out on a count of 1...2...Ouch!! She was pleased with the work. She stated that all looked perfect (scars, skin tone, skin color, bruising) The starry strips are still on there till they fall off on their own. She would like to see my range of motion continue to improve with a physical therapist to start in about 2 weeks. She thought maybe I could use some more pain medication to work on breaking the scar tissue up. Altogether she liked what she saw of my range of motion.

Next week I'm to go to UCSF to be filled on Wednesday (part of reconstruction) and then on Thursday meet with the Oncologist here locally to discuss what med.s and course of treatment. Which I'm told should start the end of Nov or beginning of Dec.. I'm to start some specific exercises to work on breaking up those scar tissue and range of motion. But not too much or the drains will swell and set me back a few days. (so only light driving and still no lifting over 10lbs and NO vacuuming) Then meet with Physical therapist after Thanksgiving.

This was a painful visit and I probably should have taken a Vicodin in preparation. OK my take on it....It looks and feels like they smashed 2 gallon size milk jugs and put those under my skin and then vacuum sealed the skin over it. (I didn't cry) The skin itself doesn't really have any feeling (numb) other than pressure, and sense of temperature. That, I'm told, may or may not come back from within a year to a few years.... Most of the scars I cannot see till the starry strips fall off. The surgeon did repeat that this is not how it will look when it is done. There is still so much more to be done...

We had a few more laughs before Neal and I headed home. The traffic was bumper to bumper and I was not feeling well from the pain. So my wonderful hubby stopped off and took me to eat at The Elephant Bar. Being out of the car, having hot tea, eating a wonderful meal and laughing with my hubby heals what ails me. It was just what I needed to handle the rest of the ride home.